Piano.



H. S. HORNBEGK.

PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 190B. RENEWED JAN. 27, 1910. 95 1 ,276,Patented Mar. 8,- 1910.

5 SHEETSSHEET 1.

s r q/vikmmoeo v R Qyvuamtoz H. s. HORNBEGK.

PIANO.

APPLIOATIDN FILED DBO. 24, 1908. RENEWED JAN. 27, 1910.

Patented Mar. 8

, 5 SHEBTB+SHEET 3.

A qmiimgpoef H. S. HORNBEGK.

PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED D120. 24, 1908. RENEWED JAN. 27, 1910.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Wane/noes Wig H. S. HORNBEGK.

PIANO. APPLIGATION FILED D20. 24, 19 08. RENEWED JAN. 27, 1910.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 wit/newer Jersey,

UNITED srarps PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY S. HORNBECK, OF ELIZABETH, NEV/ JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONiii-HALF TOGEORGE M. NEWCOMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIANO.

Application filea December 24, 1908, Serial No. 469,082.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, HENRY S. HonNnEcn, a citizen. of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of Elizabeth, in the State of New haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Pianos, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

It is the object of this invention to provide means whereby, in theoperation of auto-..

matic pianos, it shall be possible to give prominence to any note orsuccession of notes other notes, sounded simultaneously, are modulatedor softened in tone. Tones softer than the normal are usually producedby lessening the throw of the hammers, the hammer rest rail being movedbodily toward the strings ofthe instrument so that the throw of all ofthe hammers shall be diminished. It has also been proposed to providesupplemental rest rails, movable independently of each other and-byinclependent operating means to diminish the throw of the hammers of theupper portion of the scale or of the lower portion of the scale. Thispermits the tone of notes in one portion of the scale to be modulatedwhile all notes in the other portion of the scale are struck with normalforce. This, however, is insufficient for the artistic rendition of manymusical compositions in which the successive notes which carry the themeor air or melody should receive prominence over notes which thoughsounded simultaneously may be both higher and lower in the scale thanthe corresponding note or notes of the theme. It. is, therefore, thespecial purpose in view in the present invention to enable such superiorartistic results to be producedv and any note or any succession of notesanywhere in the scale, to receive prominence over notes soundedsimultaneously in any other part of'the scale. To this end the hammerrest rail is divided in short sections and the several sections are socontrolled from a single operat ing device as to permit the performer toretire instantly any of such sections while all other sections are inposition, to shorten the throw of the hammers, so that the stringscorresponding to such sectionshall be struck by their hammers withnormal force or with such force as to give the corresptmding notes thedesired prominence.

Specification of Letters Patent.

instrument whileparts being mal position by dotted lines.

Patented Mai-.6, 1910. Renewed January 27, 1910. Serial No. 540.467.

The invention will he more fully explained hereinafter with reference tothe accompanying drawings in which it is illustrated and in which-Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of so much of an automatic orequipped with the improved devicesas in necessary to enable theinvention to be understood, the front casing being removed.

F 2 and 3 are respectively a detail view in end elevation and a' detailview n1 rear elevation of the deviceswith\vhiclfthc improvement isparticularly concerned, the represented in the position whiclrtheyoccupy when the throw of all of the hammers is diminished. Figs. l and 5are views respectively similar to Figs. 2 and 3 but illustrating thepositions of the parts when a single section of the hammer rest rail isretired while all other sections are thrown forward to diminish thethrow of the hammers. Figs. 6 and 7 are also views similar respectivelyto Figs. 2 and 3 but showing the parts in the position which they occupywhen all sections of the hammer rest rail are retired to permit all ofthe hammers to have their full normal thrc w. Fig. 8 is a detail view ofsome of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and '3 as seen from the top. Fig. 9

is a detail view in section on the plane indiscale, the normal positionof the hammer rest rail being shown by full lines and its abnor- Fig. 10is a detail view in elevation, seen from the right in Fig. 1, of aportion of the valve mechanism which controls the sections of the hammerrest rail. Fig. 11 is a view of the same in elevation as seen from theright in F ig. '10. Fig. 12 is anend view of the same with the guide andbrackets removed. Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are detall views in side,

front and end elevation respectively of the slide valve and themechanism for actuating the indicator. Figs. 16 and 17 are detail viewsof the outer shell of the indicator. Figs. 18,19 and 20 are detail viewsof the indicator. F 21 is a partial view, similar to the correspondingportion of Fig. l and illustrating a slightly different embodiment ofthc'invention. Fi is a partial view of some of the parts shown in Fig.2i, as seen from the top. ig. 23 is a detail view of one of theindicating or signaling devices shown in position in Fig. 21. Fi.

player piano upon pivots are detail views showing the controlling leverand the devices operated therewith.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the framea of the piano supports in usual manner the key board 7), the trackerbox 0, bellows mechanism (Z, wind-box d and hammers e, which areoperated in the usual manner either from the finger keys or from thetracker box mechanism.

The hammer rest rail against which the hammers rest when they fall backfrom the strings comprises a main rail or support f and a. series ofindependently movable sectional rails g, each of which'is independentlyoperated by means mounted on the main rail and is preferably carried bythe movable member of a corresponding sectional bellows g and is adaptedto cooperate with a relatively small number of hammers e. The main railthe tubes f which lead to the several bellows and the flexibleconnecting tubes f by which the tubes f are connected to the wind box ashereinafter described. The main rail 7 is movably supported so that allof the sectional rails 9 may be advanced toward or retired from -thehammers e to vary the throw thereof, the main rail being shown as hung fand having an arm 7 connected by a rod with the movable member of abellows f, which, in the construction shown, is the operating means forthe main rail. The latter, being normally expanded, as shown in Figs. 6and 7, to hold the rest rail in normal retired position away from thestrings, is arranged to be collapsed, at the will of the performer, tothrow the rest rail toward the strings, as shown in Figs. 2 and t and bydotted lines in Fig. 9, and for this purpose is connected with the usualdouble pneumatic or controlling pneumatic the operation of which is inturn controlled, at the will of the operator, preferably through thevalve mechanism described.

The several flexible connections f lead from the tubes f to a valvechest 71. in the ports 71. of which they terminate. Independent of theseries of ports h in the valve chest 71, is port 7&2 which is connectedby a tube h with the controlling pneumatic 7, which is constructed andoperates in the usual manner for the purpose of establishing connectionbetween the bellows f and the wind box through the tube fl. Cooperatingwith the valve chest 71 is a slide valve 7r: which adapted to control,in the first place, the admission of atmospheric pressure to thecontrolling pneumatic 7" through the port 71. and tube It, to collapsebellows f and, in the second place, to control the cminection of theseveral rest rail bellows g with the wind box Z so that one or anotheror more of such bellows may he f also supports hereinafter l l l l l l ll 1 collapsed at the will of the performer. The slide valve has aprojection which, in the normal position of the parts, covers the ort72, and thereforeshuts off atmospheric pressure from the pneumatic f andpermits the bellows f to remain extended so as to hold the rest rail innormal, retired position away from the strings. The first movement ofthe slide valve is from its normal' position uncovers the port 7L2 and,through the pneumatic 7", causes the bellows f to be collapsed and allsections of the hammer rest rail to be thrown into the abnormal orpianissimo osition. The slide valve 70 has in its worliing surface an L-shaped slot 76 the short arm of which is adapted to register with one ormore (as shown clearly in Fig. 10) of the valve ports h in thevalvechest h, while the long arm thereof is always in registration with aport 7L which 'is connected by a pipe it either directly or indirectlywith the wind box cl, so that some one or more of the sectional restrail bellows 9 shall be collapsed and the corresponding section of thesectional rest rail 9 be drawn away from the strings according to theosition which the slide valve 70 occupies with respect to the series ofports-72,.

The movement of the slide valve 7; is controlled and effected by theperformer through any suitable means. As shown in the drawings, there issuitably mounted in convenient position near the key-board a controllinglever Z which, in the arrangement shown, is connected by a rod Z withone arm of a bell crank lever Z the other arm of which is connected by arod Z with the slide valve 71:. Shifting of the lever in one directionor the other effects the desired movement of the slide valve.

In order that the performer may be guided by the evidence of his eyes inthe movement of the slide valve and consequently in the collapsing ofthe bellows g, it is desirable that an indicator of some sort should beprovided. A suitable indicator is shown in Figs. 1 and 16-20 of thedrawings, a portion of the controlling mechanism being also shown .inFigs. 2, t, (3, 13 and 14. This indicator comprises a sleeve m, suitablymounted for observation by the performer, preferably in the front of thetracker box. It is provided with a longitudinal series of apertures m.\Vithin the sleeve is mounted a rotatable rod or shaft or which has alongitudinal series of black dots n. or, it might be, a black line,corresponding to the series of openings m in the sleeve m. The rod n hasalso a spirally stepped series of black dots n Therefore, when the rod7/, is in its normal posit ion within the sleeve m all of the holes m.will. show black, while if the rod be turned from its normal positionone or a few of the made to indicate which of the sectional bel-' lowsg" are collapsed, it is connected with the devices for controlling thecollapsing of such bellows. Such connection may be accomplished in anyconvenient manner. As shown in the figures of the drawings referred to,the rod n is secured to a shaft 0 which carries a pinion 0 in mesh witha rack on the slide valve is. The extent of rotation of the rod nwill,-theref are, depend upon the extent of movement of the slide valve70 and therefore upon the location of the sectional bellows g which iscollapsed.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 21-27 provisionis made not only for indicating the position of the sec tional bellowswhich may be collapsed, but for indicating whether the devices are inopera ti ve condition for solo playing,or fol-piano or for pianissilnoplaying throughout the scale, and also for permitting the solo playingto be instantly discontinued at any time without requiring thecontrolling lever to be moved all the way back to itsinitial or normalposition. y

The general features of construction of the piano itself and of the solodevices, in eluding the sectional hammer rest rail and the operatingbellows, are arranged substantially as already described with respect toFig; 1. The slide valve k is in this'instance shown as arranged in ahorizontal position, together, with the valve chest h which isconnected, as before, withthe sectional bellows. The short arm of thecontrolling lever Z is connected by a rod l with an arm Z on a verticalshaft Z Another arm Z on the shaft is connected by a rod 1 with theslide valve 70 and still another arm Z is connected byv a rod Z with alever 0 the free end ofwhich is connected by a link 0 with a slidingindicator-rod n". The latteris bent or stepped, as atn, to show upon aseries of spots m on a bar m the position of the slide valve andtherefore the location ofthe sectional bellows which may be collapsed.The pneumatic f controls the connection of the main rest rail bellows f,throughthe tube 7, with thewind box d as before. The main rest railbellows f, if placed so that itmay be seen by the performer, may beutilized, as in the construction shown in Fig. 1., to show that theparts are in the position for playing piano, that is, with the restrail. thrown toward the strings to reduce the throw of the hannners. vIn Fig. 21, however, there is shown a separate small signaling bellowsP, the connection of which with the wind box is controlled As shown thesmall by the pneumatic benmvg 9 s directly connected by ,a pipe f withthe main rest rail bellows f so that the bellows is collapsed wheneverthe bellows f is collapsed. The bellows f carries an indicator markedpiano which is normally concealed but is exhibited when the bellows iscollapsed.

In the construction shown in F 1 the valve chest It is always undersuction, being permanently connected with. the'wind box (1 through --thepneumatic and'pipe [1.5, so that, whenever the slide valve Zrtherein ismoved from its normal position, some one at least of the sectionalbellows is also connected with the wind boxand is collapsed. In theconstruction shown in Fig. 21, however, the tube if is so connected tothe wind box d, through an independent pneumatic f, as to establish ornot to establish communication between the channel 70 of the slidevalveln and'the wind box, according to the operation of the pneumatic fat the will of the performer," who is therefore enabled to cut the solodevices out of operation or throw them into operation regardless of thepositionof the slide valve and without quiring the controlling lever Zto be moved back to its normal position. matics f and f might becontrolled by the usual separate controlling devices, but in order toavoid a multiplicity of controlling devices to receive the attention ofthe performer, provision is made whereby both of the pneumatics and fare controlled by movement of the controlling lever Z which, as alreadydescribed, controls the position of the slide valve and determines whichof the sectional rest rail bellows g shall, be collapsed. Such means'areshown in detail in Figs. 2227, wherein it will be seen that the shaft pupon which the controlling lever Z is mounted, is not only capable of amovement of rotation upon its own axis but also capable of a movementdownward (or itmight be in any other direction trzinsverse to its axis)and of movement in a longilu dinal direction, either toward or from theperformer. 7

As will-be seen by reference to Figs-Qt and 25', the-shaft p is capableof movement downwardly, against the upward pressure of a supportingspring 1'), in an open bearing 72 formed in a block 72 A tube 77* es,-tablishes connection between the pneumatic .7" and a port 71 in theblock 7)", which port is closed by the shaft y) when it is in its upperor normal position. Pressure downward upon the lever Z moves the shaftpaway from the port and permits atinosplu-ric pres-- sure to reach thepneumatic through the tube g) and, through the connection of thepneumatic, establishes connection of the bel- The two pneu lows f withthe wind box d and causes the collapsing of the bellows to throw the en!l1! hammer rest rail toward the strings. he

shaft 7), being also movablelongitmlinally in its bearing, has acollarp, as shown in Figs. 26 and 27, which bears against a flat spring valvep". The latter normally closes a port 7, in a block 79 which port isconnected through a tu e 72 with-the pneumatic f, so that when the leverZ is pulled toward the performer the port 8 is opened, atmosphericpressure is admitted to the pneumatic f and communication from the tube71, to the wind box cl is at once established. Whenever the lever Z ispermitted to move backto its normal position, away from the performer,the port 7" is at once closed and the pneumatic f operates in the usualmanner to cut off communicationbetween the tube 71,5 and the wind box d.Thisconnection may, therefore, be established or cut Off 'at willregardless of the position of oscillationfof the controlling lever Zabout its axis and therefore regardless of the position of the slideValve is.

The slide valve 70 is provided in its working face before with a longL-shaped channel le the long arm of which always overlies the port 71.with which the tube h is connected. The short arm of the channel k isadapted to establish communication with at least some one or anotherofthe ports h of the valve chest h, so as to establish connectionbetween the sectional rest rail bellows and the wind box. For the pur.-pose of signaling to the performer that the parts are in operativecondition for solo playing there is also formed in the valve chest andadapted to be covered always by the long arm of the channel k of theslide valve is a port it which is connected through a tube k with asignaling or indicating bellows h located in convenient position forobservation by the performer, as shown in Fig. 21. The bellows h carriesamindicator marked piano which is normally concealed but is exhibitedwhen the bellows is collapsed.

The operation of the solo device will now be readily understood, both asto the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig.1 and as to theembodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 21. Referring first to theembodiment shown in Fig. 1, it will be understood that the lever Z isgrasped by the performer and is moved slightly to the right, therebycausing the slide valve is to uncover the port if. This, through thepneumatic 7, causes the bellows f to collapse and the entire hammer restrail to be moved toward the strings into position to limit the bacleward throw of the hammers. In this posi tion of the parts the playing ofthe instrumcnt will be piano throughout the range of the instrument.Should it then be desired to produce the effect of a solo andaccompaniment the lever l is moved "further to the right to effectconnection between the vvind box and that one of the sectional bellows gl l l l l which comes within the range of the ham mers which shouldhavetheir full throw, the movement of the lever and therefore of the slidevalve being continued in one direction or the other with the shifting ofthe solo notes up or down the scale. In this embodiment of the inventionthe hammer rest rail can be restored to its normal position only bymoving the lever back to its left hand position so as to cover up againthe port h and permit the bellows f to expand.

In the operation of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 21 themere oscillation of the controlling lever Z upon 1ts axis produces noeflect upon the playing of the instrument. A pressure downward upon thelever, however, causes, through the pneumatic 7, the collapsing ofthe-bellows f and the throwing of the hammer rest rail. into positionfor playing piano, at thesame time'operating the piano signal f. Anulling of the lever toward the performer then. through the pneumatic f,establishes connection between the wind box and the channel in the slidevalve, at the same time operating the solo signal 72., and thereforemovement of oscillation of the lever Z upon its axis establishesconnection between such channel and some one or another of the sectionalrest rail bellows so that such bellows is collapsed and thecorresponding section of the rest rail thrown away from the stringsgives the corresponding hammer or hammers full throw.

It will be understood that various other changes in details ofconstruction and arrangement may be made without departing from thespirit of the invemion which is notlimited to the construction shown anddescribed herein.

I claim as my invention:-

1. In a piano, the combination with the hammers, of a main rest rail, asectional rest rail, means for moving; the main rest rail toward or fromthe hammers to limit the throw thereof and independent means mountedupon the main rest rail and moving therewith for moving one or anotherof the several sections toward or from the hammers.

2. In a piano, the combination with the hammers, of amain rest rail,means for moving the same toward or from the hammers, a series ofbellows carried by the main rest rail, a sectional rest rail carried asto its several sections; by the several bellows and means to control theexpanding and collapsing of said bellows severally.

3. In a piano, tie combination with the hammers, of a main rest rail, asectional res iail, means for moving the mam rest rail toward or fromthe hammers to limit the throw thereof, independent means mounted uponthe main rest rail and moving there with for moving one or anol her ofthe several sections toward or from the hammers and an indicatoroperatively connectedilwith the last named means to show which of thehammers, of a main. rest rail, means for moving the same toward orfromthe' hammers, a series of bellows carried byth'e'jrest rail, asectional rest frail carried asto' its several sections by the severalbellows, means to control the expandmg and collapsing of said bellowsseverally and an indicatoroperatively connected with such'meansto showwhich sections of the sectional rest rail are moved toward or from thehammers.

5. In a piano, the combinationwith the hammers, of a series of bellows,a sectionalrest rail carried as to its several sections by the severalbellows, a valve chest having separate connections to the severalbellows, a wind box'connectedwith the valve chest,

valve to' control connection from the valve chest to the several bellowsand means to operate the valve.

6. In a piano, the combination with the hammers, of a series ofbellows,a sectional rest rail carried as to itsseveralsectionsby the severalbellows, a valve chest having sep" arate connections to the several,bellows a wind box connected with the valvechest, a slide valve andmeans to operate'thesame to control the connectionirom the valve chestto the several bellows, and an. indicator operatively connected with theslidevalverto be moved in accordance with the m'ovcement thereof. 1 v HK 7. In a piano, the eqmhinationwith the hammers, of a mainrest rail, abellows and connections for moving the main rest rail toward or from thehammers, a series ofbellows carried by the main rest rail,a sectionalrest rail carried as to itsseveral sections by the several bellows, andmeans to control the expanding and collapsing of all of said bellowsseverally.

8. In a piano, the combination with the hammers, of a maimnest rail, abellows and connections for mov'ing the main restrail toward or from thehammers, a' series ofbellows carried by the main rest rall, a sectionalrest rail carried as to its several sections by the several bellows, a.pneumatic for controlling the first named bellows, a valve chest havingseparate connections to the several sectional rest rail'bellowsandhaving a connection to said pneumatic and a shde valve and means tooperate the same to control said pneumatic'and to control theconnections from the valve chest to the sectional rest rail bellowsseverally.

9. In a piano, the combination with the hammers, of a main rest rail,means for moxing the same toward or from the hammers, a series ofbellows carried by the main lrest rail, a sectional rest rail carried asto its several sections 'by the several bellows, a valve chest havingseparate connections to said bellows severally, 'a. valve to controlsaid connections, a wind box and connections to the valve chest andmeans to control said connections from the wind box to the valve chest.

10. In a piano, the combination with the hammers, of a series ofbellows, a sectional rest rail carried as to its several sections by theseveral bellows, a wind .box, a valve chest connected with the wind boxand with which the several bellows communicate, a controlling device,means operated by the controlling device which control communicationfrom the wind box to the valve chest and independent means also operatedby the controlling device to control the connections from the valvechest to the several bellows.

11.. In a piano, the combination with the hammers, of a series ofbellows, a sectional rest rail carried as to its several sections by theseveral bellows, a wind box, a ,valve chest connected with the wind boxand with "which the several bellows communicate, a slgnallng deviceconnected to the wind box,

a controlling device, means operated by the controlling device forcontrolling the connections from the valve chest to the several bellows,independent means operated by the controlling device for controlling theconnection from the wind box to the valve chest, and independent meansoperated by the controlling device for controlling the connection fromthe wind box to the signaling device.

12. In a piano, the combination with the hammers, of a series ofbellows, a sectional rest rail carried as to its several sections by theseveral bellows, a wind box, a valve chest'connected to the wind box andhaving separate connections to the several bellows, a valve to controlsaid separate connections, a. pneumatic to control the connection fromthe wind box to the valve chest, an oscillatin r lever operativelyconnected with the Va ve, a shaft upon which said lever is mounted, saidshaft being movable longitudinally in its bearing, a connection having aport adjacent to said shaft and a valve normally closing said port whenthe shaft is in its normal position and moved by the longitudinalmovement of the shaft to open the port.

13.-In-'a' piano'ftlie combination with the hammers, of a series ofbellows, a sectional rest rail carried as to its several sections by theseveral bellows, a wind box, a valve 'chest connected to the wind boxand having separate connections to the several bellows, a valve tocontrol said separate connections, a signaling device 'connectedjto thewind box, a pneumatic to control thecon: ncction of the signaling devicetothe wind ion box, an oscillating lever operatively connected with thevalve, a shaft upon Which said lever is mounted, said shaft beingmovable longitudinally in its bearing, a valve controlled by thelongitudinal movement of said shaft and an air connection from saidpneumatic to said valve.

14:. A controlling device for pneumatic piano players, comprising anoscillating lever having a mechanical connection,a shaft upon which saidlever is mounted, a bearing block having a slotted bearing in which saidshaft is laterally movable and having an air port normally closed by theshaft and a spring holding said shaft yieldinglyin its normal position.,4

15. A controlling device for pneumatic the shaft in the longitudinalmovementv of the shaft.

This specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of December, All,1908.

HENRY S. HORNBECK. Signed in the presence of- W; B. GREELEY, AMBROSE L.OSHEA.

